Let me count the ways:
Big
Fast
Smooth
Digimap
INS
Does most things other helos do, just as well, if not better
Crashworthiness (I know that one is a bit of optimism in the face of adversity)
Potential - PID/FLIR, Missile, bigger gun for starters
I would never admit it to our jungly or lynx bretheren, but ASW in a SK was dull. Long, long periods of boredom punctuated only occasionally by moments of sheer terror. (There I was, 40', in the dip, 100 miles from Mum, Black as witches bits....etc) With Merlin, the 'driver' has finally been invited to the party and can not only see what is going on, can get involved, rather than responding to (or more often, forgetting) steer commands from the Zero in the back. Stovies called it S.A. We didn't call it anything in Sea Kings cos the front seat didn't have any.
Why do we in Merlin land leap to her defence so readily? Because we have been doing it for so long. Never has a new toy been so maligned. We have bought it, the money is gone, lets fix it, fly it and enjoy it.
The King is dead, long live the sorcerer